Measuring spoon with electric vibrating means



91955 E. K. METTLIEW HAL 11 MEASURING SPOON WI H ELECTRIC VIBRATINGMEANS Filed Dec. 29, 1952 m 19 W "H M 27 13 United States PatentMEASURENG SPOON WITH ELECTRIC VIBRATING MEANS Erhard Karl Mettler,Zollikon, and Johann Meier, Stafa (Zurich), Switzerland; said Meierassignor to said Mettler Application December 29, 1952, Serial No.328,298 Claims priority, application Switzerland October 16, 1952 3Claims (Cl. 222-161) This invention relates to a measuring spoon withhandle, and more particularly to a measuring spoon for use inlaboratories and in apothecaries or chemists shops.

One of the principal objects of the invention is the provision of meansin a measuring spoon with handle, with which rapid and very accuratemeasuring is possible without great practice.

Another object of the invention is the provision of a set of measuringspoons having different shapes, sizes and stem lengths and of a handlehaving the means referred to wherein each of said measuring spoons maybe detachably fastened to said means.

Other objects and advantages will be apparent from the followingdescription in which reference is had to the accompanying drawingsillustrating a preferred embodiment of the invention and in which:

Figure 1 shows the measuring spoon provided with a spoon stem and aclosure piece mounted on the latter; and

Figure 2 shows the appertaining handle in which the measuring spoonillustrated in Fig. 1 can be detachably fastened, the handle and thebuilt-in vibrator being illustrated in longitudinal section.

As shown in Figure 1, the measuring spoon 1 has at its narrow end 2 alip formed somewhat in the shape of a channel. The stem 3 is attached tothe side of the spoon and ends in a cylindrical connector 4 of a bayonetfastening. The connector 4 is accordingly provided with two retainingpins 5 situated opposite one another and projecting radially outwards.The corresponding part of the bayonet fastening is located in the handle6 illustrated in Figure 2 and is formed by a tube 7 wl1ich has twoL.-shaped slots 8 situated opposite one, another for the introduction ofthe retaining pins 5. The connector 4 is inserted from the front intothe tube 7, the spring held fast in the tube 7 by means of the pin 9being compressed. if the measuring spoon 1 has been turned, said spoonis held fast in known manner in consequence of the action of the spring10 and the retaining pins 5 in the L-shaped slots 8. Theinterchangeability of the spoon enables measuring spoons 1 of ditferentshapes,

sizes and stem lengths to be inserted in one and the same handle 6 asrequired.

The handle 6 illustrated in section in Figure 2 is constructed as atubular housing of insulating material and encloses the parts of abuilt-in electromagnetic vibrator. The part of the vibrator mountedstationary in relation to the handle 6 contains an insulating piece 11of generally spool form, in the central bore 12 of which an iron member13 is cast. The insulating piece 11 serves directly as coil body andsupports the eXciter winding 14 of the vibrator coaxially of the tubularhandle 6. On the right-hand portion of the insulating piece 11 theelectrical power supply cable 16 is fastened by means of a screwed-onclamping strip 15, said cable being furnished at the free end (notshown) with the customary connecting plug. The left-hand end of theinsulating piece 11 carries two riveted-on contact springs 17, 18, of ahand switch, the push-button 19 of which is guided in the handle 6 to bereadily displaceable. As can be seen in Figure 2, one supply wire of theconnecting cable 16 runs directly to the contact spring 18 and the othercontact spring 17 is connected to the outer end of the exciter winding14, while the inner end of the exciter winding 14 is connected to theother supply wire of the connecting cable 16. The handle 6 is furtherprovided with a capshaped end piece 20 which is adapted to be screwed onand which is used for guiding the insulating piece 11. An insertedrubber ring 21 presses the insulating piece 11 to the left against astop 22 mounted inside the handie 6. By means of a guide cam 23 mountedon the insulating piece 11 and engaging in a slot (not shown) in thestop 22, the insulating piece 11 is held fast in an accuratelypredetermined position in the handle 6.

The portion of the electromagnetic vibrator which is movable in relationto the handle 6 consists of the tube '7 and a bar-shaped magnet armature24 made of iron and rigidly secured on the tube 7. The magnet armature24 is preferably constructed as an immersion armature andcorrespondingly projects partly into the bore of the spoollikeinsulating piece 11 which carries the eXciter coil 14. This movable part7, 24 is mounted on the one hand in the end wall 25 of the handle 6 andon the other hand in the bore 12 of the insulating piece 11, in suchmanner as to be easily movable in the longitudinal direction of thehandle 6. A flange-shaped extension 26 on the tube 7 prevents themovable part 7, 24 from being drawn out of the handle 6 to the left. Arubber cushion 27 inserted in the right-hand end of the immersionarmature 24 limits the movement of the part 7, 24 in the direction ofthe iron core 13. In addition, the flange-shaped extension 26 has a slotin which a guide piece 28 provided inside the handle 6 engages withclearance and hence makes it impossible for the part 7, 24 to rotateabout its longitudinal axis. By simply unscrewing the end piece 20, itis possible for all parts of the vibrator to be drawn out of the handle6 to the right. The vibrator is re-inserted in the handle 6 by thereverse sequence of operations.

The aforedescribed vibrator is intended for operation with alternatingcurrent. If therefore the connecting cable 16 is connected to a sourceof alternating current and the push-button 19 of the hand switch isdepressed, the immersion armature 24 together with the tube 7 is drawnto the right into the coil 14 until the rubber cushion 27 bears againstthe iron core 13. In addition, the movable part 7, 24 will perform avibrating movement in the longitudinal direction of the handle 6,whereby the rubber cushion 27 is periodically stressed. The frequency ofthis vibrating movement of the part 7, 24 is obviously equal to twicethe frequency of the alternating current supply and the amplitude of thevibrating movement is adjusted by suitably dimensioning the rubbercushion 27 to an order of magnitude of about one-tenth of a millimetre.For the operation of the vibrator, an alternating current input of aboutone to two watts will then generally be suflicient, irrespectively ofwhether a larger or smaller measuring spoon 1 is fastened to the frontof the tube '7.

The aforedescribed measuring spoon with handle is now used in practiceas follows:

A spoon 1 which can easily be introduced into the neck of the bottlecontaining the pulverulent substance is first selected. This measuringspoon is fastened in the tube 7 by means of its bayonet fastening 5, 8and the connecting cable 16 is connected to an alternating currentsupply system. Without first depressing the push-button 19, the spoon 1is introduced into the bottle and the spoon is filled only to such anextent that the heaped pulverulent substance does not, or does notsubstantially, project over the edge of the spoon. The spoon l is thenbrought above the bowl into which the pulverulent substance is to bepoured. If the spoon 1 is now held horizontal and the vibrator isoperated by depressing the button 19, the substance hitherto stillheaped in the spoon 1 will be distributed in the spoon 1 and keptcontinuously in slight motion. If the lip end 2 of the spoon 1 is nowinclined downwards, the pulverulent substance will flow in a uniformstream into the bowl or container. By retiming the inclination of themeasuring spoon 1, it is possible without much practice to obtain sofine flow of the pulverulent substance poured out that it is hardlyvisible to the naked eye. If the bowl or container is placed upon asensitive direct indication balance it is merely necessary to releasethe push-button 19 when the desired weight is reached. When the vibratoris switched off, the fine stream flowing off from t e spoon 1 isinterrupted without it being necessary to reduce the inclination of thespoon, and the measuring is thus completed. It is found that in this waywith a pulverulent substance ground to a suitable degree of fineness, itis possible to carry out the measuring with an accuracy of one-tenth ofa milligram.

Using a measuring spoon of conventional design without a built-invibrator the accuracy obtainable is far less. the substance poured intothe bowl has almost been reached by tipping or inclining the filledspoon in the usual manner, the stem of the spoon is tapped with onefinger of the free hand, so that the pulverulent substance falls insmall amounts from the measuring spoon each i) time it is tapped. it ishowever almost impossible in practice to obtain accurate measuring inthis manner, since the amount falling off from the measuring spoon eachtime it is tapped is fundamentally subject to staticstical fluctuations,even if the stem of the spoon could always be tapped in exactly the samemanner. in addition, the correct handling of a measuring spoon of thetype hitherto known requires a certain amount of practice, care andskill, and the working with a measuring spoon without a built-invibrator consumes a relatively great amount of time.

It should further be mentioned that the vibrating movement which isimparted to the measuring spoon according to the present invention bymeans of the vibrator incorporated in the handle 6, can per so also takeplace in a different direction from the longitudinal direction of thehandle 6. It is found, however, that vibrating movements of the spoon 1,which move the spoon 1 up and down when handle 6 is held horizontal, areless favourable for obtaining the desired mode of operation. Inaddition, it must be borne in mind that the spoon stems 3 of the variousinsertable spoons 1 may have very dif ferent lengths, depending on theuse to which the latter are .to be put. The amplitude of the vibratingmovement of the spoonl should, however, not be substantially dependenton the length of the spoon stems 3, and it is therefore advantageous forthe vibrating movement of the spoon 1, and hence also that of themovable part 7, 24 of the vibrator, to take place in the longitudinaldirection of the handle 6. It is furthermore convenient, if it ispossible to adjust the inclination of the pouring lip 2 of the spoon 1by simple turn of the wrist of the person When the desired amount or thedesired weight of holding the handle 6, without having to change thelongitudinal direction of the handle 6. The direction of the pouring lip2 of the spoon 1 must accordingly form an angle, and preferably aright-angle, with the longitudinal direction of the handle 6.

The most diverse actuating systems may be used for the vibratorincorporated in the handle 6. A limiting condition is imposed by thefact that the handle 6 should not have too great a diameter and should.still be capable of being held easily by one hand, since otherwise theeasy and steady handling of the measuring spoon would be impaired. Theembodiment illustrated can be regarded as favourable in this respect.For the direct current operation of an electromagnetic vibrator, themovable part 7, 24 of the latter can moreover be combined with avibrating contact which periodically interrupts the direct currentflowing through the exciter coil 14. This and other modifications whichmay occur to those familiar with the art wall within the spirit andscope of the invention .as set forth in the following claims.

We claim:

'1. Measuring apparatus comprising a measuring spoon having a stem and alip at substantially right angles to said stem for the lateral dischargeof material from said spoon, a tubular handle, an electromagneticvibrator comprising an exciter coil and an elongated armature movableaxially of said exciter coil, means securing said exciter coil withinand coaxially of said tubular handle, means preventing rotation of saidarmature about its axis, cooperating means on said armature and on thestem of said spoon for supporting said spoon on said armature, and anenergizing circuit .for said vibrator supported on said handle andincluding a manually operable switch.

.2. Measuring apparatus as recited in claim 1, wherein said exciter coilis wound on a spool-like insulating piece which constitutes saidsecuring means, and said armature projects into the bore of saidspool-like insulating piece, in combination with a cushion of elasticmaterial between said armature and said spool-like insulating piece.

3. The combination with a measuring spoon having a stem terminating inone element of a detachable coupling, a tubular handle, anelectromagnetic vibrator comprising an exciter coil fixedly mountedwithin said handle and an elongated armature movable axially of saidcoil and handle, means preventing rotation of said armature with respectto the axis of said handle, said armature having an end projectingaxially from said tubular handle, and a coupling element complementaryto said one element of the spoon stem at the projecting end of saidarmature, whereby said spoon may be demountably sup ported on saidarmature.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS335,390 Silbermann et al. Feb. 2, 1886 439,432 Schock Oct. 28, 1890510,286 Osterman Dec. 5, 1893 2,278,150 Roscoe Mar. 31, 1942 2,311,373Durning Feb. 16, 1943 2,405,507 Lefren Aug. 6, 1946 2,525,641 BouskaOct. 10, 1950 2,532,696 Comstock Dec. 5, 1950

